Another week of NFL action is in the books and it saw some former Michigan State stars stand out.
In a new weekly segment, we’ll rank the top three performances by Spartans in the NFL and we will even include former Michigan State players who transferred before their final seasons like Keon Coleman and Derrick Harmon.
However, this week, it was all guys who finished their careers in East Lansing who stood out. Guys like Ryan Eckley, Connor Heyward, and Jalen Nailor all got plenty of playing time in Week 3, but only three Spartans really stood out and stole some headlines over the weekend.
Here are the top three Spartans in the NFL performances from Week 3:
1. Kirk Cousins, Raiders
That’s right, 38-year-old Kirk Cousins had the best week of any Spartan in the NFL. He secured his third straight three-touchdown game, making him the first quarterback age 38 or older to throw three touchdown passes in each of his team’s first three games. Not even Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or Aaron Rodgers were able to do that. Let that sink in.
One of the most prolific passers in NFL history is proving the Raiders right for starting him over the No. 1 overall pick the 2026 draft.
Cousins not only threw three more touchdown passes (up to nine on the year), but he also had 248 yards and no interceptions in a road win over the Saints. The Raiders are now a shocking 3-0 on the season and it’s because Cousins is playing out of his mind.
2. Kenneth Walker III, Chiefs
Should we even be surprised at this point? Kenneth Walker III has forced at least 12 missed tackles in each of his first three games with the Chiefs. You just know the Seahawks are sick watching him put up video game-like numbers knowing that they could’ve just kept him instead of taking a chance on Zach Charbonnet and a rookie from Notre Dame.
After rushing for 100-plus yards in each of his first two games, he posted a modest 70 yards and two total touchdowns with the Chiefs against the Dolphins. Not a crazy game, by any means, but still the second-best performance of all Spartans in the NFL.
Walker leads the league in rushing with 360 yards through three weeks.
3. Cody White, Raiders
Although Cody White had just one catch in Week 3, it happened to be the game-winner from a fellow Spartan who’s No. 1 on this list. White gets the nod for the third spot because for a second week in a row, he’s caught the game-winning touchdown pass for the Raiders.
Last week, White caught the game-winning and the put-away touchdown passes from Cousins to beat Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers. This week, it took down the Saints on the road.
White is becoming one of the best stories in the NFL this season. He’s not putting up crazy numbers, but he’s been in the right place at the right time for each of his three catches, scoring three touchdowns. It’s not often you see a 100 percent touchdown rate when a receiver catches a football, but that’s what White is currently sporting.
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